Only that I never actually get her fly open because her fingers wrap around my wrists and effectivelystop me in mid motion. I whine and try to shake her off, but she's clearly doing the stopping I washoping she would do earlier, only that now it's most unwelcome.“Edward, stop! You need towe need toAlice and Jazz will be lookingfor us!”Her words hit me like a freight train, and I need a few seconds to drag my mind out of the gutter andher panties. When I look into her face I see that she's flushed and worked up, but her eyes arepleading with me, and she's clearly not asking for my cock.A wave of rejection follows the initial confusion, and even though the very small part of me that is infact still able to do some thinking is telling me that she's not rejecting me, it hurts. So. Fucking. Much.Rationality quickly follows my horniness into the abyss, and I close my eyes and pinch the bridge ofmy nose in order to restrain myself. I don't know what exactly I want t

“You're welcome! Just don't fuck up again, eh?”Chuckling under my breath I get out, and Em swerves right back into traffic.I stare up at the house for a moment, trying to decide what to do now, but really, there's just oneoption. I can only hope that whatever went down after I took off hasn't riled her up even more.Resigning myself to my fate, I walk inside, and hopefully not into war. The condo is dark and empty when I tiptoe upstairs, but the distinct shape of Bella under the coversmakes me let out a breath I hadn't realized I've been holding. Not that I've believed her hilariousthreat about a threesome with Alice and Jazz for a moment, but just seeing her back in our bed is arelief.I see her stiffen as I enter the bedroom but her eyes are tightly shut, and I can read the signs alright.She's avoiding me, pretending to be asleep, and the way she subtly shifts until her back is turned to meis rather telling. I sigh and pad on into the bathroom to dump my wet clothe

“You actually told me you were happy I stopped moping after that Saturday at Beth's. That you wereglad I was done with being so emo. And now you complain that I took your words to heart?”“I didn't mean it like that! Yes, I admit it, having you lurk around and sulk for two weeks was hell!But that doesn't mean that I don't want you to tell me when something is bothering you!”Silence falls, and it's nearly awkward. We both are at a loss for words, and I'd rather roll over andsleep now than continue this. But of course, Bella being Bella, she has other plans.“Then tell me now? Maybe I understand why you don't even try to mend your friendship with Jazzagain when I see the whole picture.” Her voice is calm but her eyes are pleading with me, and onething I can never do, and that is refuse her anything she asks for. I sigh heavily, then pat the couch nextto me and she quickly climbs over the back rest and sinks into the plush cushions.Again I don't know where to start, and

"Is it too much to ask that she at least sees what she, and almost everyone else, is doing to me?"I know I sound whiny when I say that, but the damage is done. Rose is quiet for a few moments as ifshe is debating with herself what to tell me, and when she talks again she's no longer taunting me."I think she really didn't see it. You know how Bella wants to live in her perfect world where you canbe the love of her life and Jazz her best friend.Don't hold it against her that she'd rather be a little ignorant than tear herself apart because she can'tdo miracles. But now you opened her eyes and I'm sure she will consider her actions better from nowon. She loves you, and I'm sure she really meant it that she'd always choose you over him. Isn't thatenough for you?"Thinking about her words, I come to the usual conclusion that Rose should have gone into psychologyrather than photography, but then she'd probably drive half of her clients to commit suicide with herinsensit

The rational part of me is convinced that Jazz will hold his tongue, but the very same rational partnever saw anything coming that the conniving ass dumped on me, so I choose not to listen to it. Tryingto act as unconcerned as possible, I walk over to the sink and start running hot water to clean thedishes, hoping that no good Samaritan will join me so I can eavesdrop in peace.For a while Charlie and Jazz are chatting about things of only moderate interest to me – a few curiouscases the Forks PD has had over the summer, how Jasper is coping with some recent changes at work,how things are going with Alice. I'm a little taken aback how little I really care about that last topic,as I've always felt like the protective older brother with Alice, but apparently that has changed, too,with all the other things. Slowly I'm running out of dishes and I consider cutting some bread instead,but then Charlie finally asks the question, and I have to control my urge to put down my wo